Several enthusiasts and players have criticised chess' international governing body — the International Chess Federation or FIDE — after it announced putting temporary curbs on transgender players from competing in its matches.
The Switzerland-based body maintained that individual cases would require "further analysis" and that a decision could take up to two years.
Different sports and regulators were making efforts to formulate policies for transgender players as they involved comparable physical activity. However, it is not the case with chess.
The federation said: "Change of gender is a change that has a significant impact on a player’s status and future eligibility to tournaments, therefore it can only be made if there is relevant proof of the change provided."
“In the event that the gender was changed from a male to a female the player has no right to participate in official Fide events for women until further Fide’s decision is made," it added.
A trans woman professional chess player Yosha Iglesias said that the policy would lead to "unnecessary harm" for trans players and women.
Iglesias, who is also a holder of the FIDE rank of a chess master, added that “this appalling situation will lead to depression and suicide attempts.”
Woman Grandmaster and Two-time US Women's Champion Jennifer Shahade also lashed out at the curbs announced by the FIDE, stating that the policy was "ridiculous and dangerous".
Shahade said: "It's obvious they didn't consult with any transgender players in constructing it... I strongly urge FIDE to reverse course on this and start from scratch with better consultants."
"There is no physical advantage in chess unless you believe men are inherently more able to play than women — I spent my chess career being told women's brains were smaller than men's and we shouldn't even be playing," UK MP Angela Eagle stated.
"This ban is ridiculous and offensive to women," she said, who was a winner of the 1976 British Girls' Under-18 chess championship.
FIDE maintained in its decision that trans men who had won women's titles before transitioning would see their titles abolished.
According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), chess is classified as a sport.
Last month, the UCI that governs the world's cycling decided to prohibit transgender women from taking part in women’s events.
World Aquatics, meanwhile, said Wednesday that it would debut a new open category for transgender athletes at this year's Swimming World Cup event in Berlin after voting last year to keep transgender athletes from participating in women's elite races.